As an owner of a Roku, I know how frustrating it can be when the screen size is not displaying correctly. After doing some research and testing, I’m here to share how I solved the issue, as well as some other solutions I discovered.
In most cases, this problem is an easy fix. Make sure your Roku remote has fresh batteries. Then press the Home button to access the Home screen menu.
Navigate to the Settings menu using the arrow keys and select the Display option.
Then use the arrow keys to select the desired resolution for your device. In most cases your options will look like this:
- 720p
- 1080p
- 4K at 30Hz
- 4K at 60Hz
- 4K HDR at 30Hz
| Issue | Solution |
|---|---|
| Roku not fitting the screen | Check the resolution settings and adjust them accordingly |
| Incompatible resolution | Update your Roku device and TV software |
| Changing picture size | Access the Settings menu and adjust the picture size setting |
| Additional picture options | Explore the advanced picture settings for brightness, color, sharpness, and contrast |
| Resolution settings | Rely on automatic settings for optimal picture size and resolution |
Table of Contents
How to Fix the Screen Size on Roku
Roku products usually do a good job at detecting and analyzing the features and capabilities of most smart, flat screen TVs. But of course, there are always exceptions to the rule.
By using the Auto Detect feature, most Roku devices will be able to scan and select the proper display resolution on its own.
This will work fine in most cases. However, you probably wouldn’t be here if yours was working the way you expect, so we need to go into a little more depth.
Why is My Roku not Fitting the Screen?
If you set your device to a resolution that is not compatible with your TV, you will usually see a blank screen.
In most cases, your Roku device will revert back to the last setting you had it on within 15 seconds or less.
30Hz and 60Hz are the frame rates for video playback. 4K HDR means “High Dynamic Range” and indicates that your TV should support higher frame rates as well as additional color outputs. Not all modern TVs will support 4K HDR.
Another common issue people have occurs when they are unaware that their TVs offer 4K HDR support.
You may be trying to watch an HDR movie using a different setting and get a poor quality image. This usually becomes a problem due to an issue with the TV software.
In most cases, you should be able to fix it by performing an update and trying again. If this does not fix the problem, try doing an update for your Roku device as well as your TV.
If that does not fix the issue, then you may have a Roku device or TV that is incompatible with HDR video.
How to Change the Picture Size
If you attempt to change the size of your picture while using Roku, the change will usually not be “global,” meaning it will not affect or be stored in every component of the system.
This will cause your settings to revert back at seemingly random times depending on which parts of the system are and are not set to the settings you chose.
In most cases, changing the size of your picture while using Roku will only affect the HDMI selection currently in use.
Follow the following instructions to make the change you want “global.”
1. Access the Settings menu by pressing the Star button
2. Or, go to the Home screen by pressing “Home” on your remote and then use the arrow keys to navigate to the Settings menu.
3. Select the TV picture settings
4. Navigate to the Options menu
5. Select Advanced Picture Settings
6. Go to the Picture size setting (It should be near the bottom of the list)
7. Use the arrow keys to select another aspect ratio
Keep in mind that you will not be able to make a custom aspect ratio. You will only be able to choose one from a list of set options.
Also, just because you can change it does not always mean that you should. Using the Auto settings, your Roku device will make the vertical and/or horizontal stretch of your video output to the size it thinks is best.
In most cases, they will have made the best choice.
But if you don’t think your Roku device has automatically selected the right resolution, you may need to follow the instructions above or experiment with them to find a setting you prefer.
Additional Picture Options
You should be able to access other useful or interesting options from the same advanced picture settings screen.
You can set the brightness, color, sharpness, and contrast manually rather than leaving it up to the automated setting presets.
Most Roku devices will allow you to use a Game Mode settings. This may reduce lag or create an enhanced contrast effect by outlining objects in black lines.
Because this is only available to HDMI input, it can be useful on Roku streams as well as for gaming.
Should You Change the Resolution Settings?
Unless you plan to watch old movies in low quality formats on a large TV, there should not be a reason to stretch the picture size.
Even if you want to do this, stretching usually will not improve the image quality if it is not done at the appropriate size and resolution.
Most of the time the image can become foggy or look pixilated. This is why it is usually best to rely on the automatic picture ratio settings.
These automated settings tend to select an optimal size and resolution. Do you prefer customizing the picture size, or do you feel Roku does a good job on its own?
Read more: Can you connect Roku to a computer monitor?
